“I’m sorry,” Gabby says, her eyes full of sadness. “I shouldn’t have invited him.”
“It’s okay,” I say, smiling. And it is okay. “He’s Ben’s best friend. Him not being invited would be like me not being invited, which would be completely unacceptable.”
Gabby smiles, and I decide then and there not to let Ethan’s presence bother me. For her sake.
“When’s he coming?” I ask.
“Tonight. I don’t think he plans on hanging out with us very much. He wanted to bring someone with him so he wouldn’t be-”
“I don’t need to know.” I sigh and hold up my thermos. “Why didn’t you bring something to spike this with? I’m going to need something a lot stronger than hot chocolate if I’m going to make it through the next week.”
“Oh, I think you’ll be all right,” she replies playfully. “I’ve got something planned for you to take your mind off things.”
I can see the mischievous glint in her eyes, and I know better than to ask her what’s coming. Besides, it’s much too beautiful of a morning for me to worry about it anyway. The sun is bright, burning off what’s left of the morning fog. I close my eyes, loving the warmth on my face and the sounds of the birds chirping around us. I haven’t felt this peaceful in a long time.
Gabby and I somehow manage to drift off to sleep, and we wake up close to ten. She seems a bit frantic as we both climb out of the truck bed and into the cab. She speeds along the dirt paths leading back to the house, and I get the impression from the look on her face that she hasn’t told Ben’s parents exactly where we were and what we were doing this morning.
I’m kind of impressed by the way Gabby’s driving Ben’s truck; she maneuvers the thing like she’s lived on this land her whole life. When the main house comes into view, I see Mrs. Wright sitting on the porch steps, waiting for us like a true mother.
“You’re in trouble,” I tease, but Gabby isn’t in the mood for it. The brakes squeal as we come to a stop.
“Where have you girls been?” Mrs. Wright says as she rushes over to us. She cups Gabby’s face in her hands, looking relieved to see her. “What would I tell Ben if his bride went missing right before the wedding?”
“We’re fine Amy,” Gabby says, smiling through her embarrassment.
“Sorry we worried you, Mrs. Wright,” I say.
Ben’s mom is a short, slightly round woman, with reddish brown hair and the brightest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. Everything about her is so warm and friendly that it’s nearly impossible not to smile and feel right at home around her, even when she’s being a total mother bear.
“Call me Amy,” she says, smiling.
“Leave them alone, Mom,” a strangely familiar voice calls from the porch. “I’m here for all your motherly nagging needs. Gab’s getting married in a few days, she needs to de-stress.”
When I look up, I see the very last person I ever expected to see here standing on the front porch. Hell, he’s the very last person I expected to see anywhere again. Ever.
It’s Nate.
Airport Nate.
Best-sex-of-my-life Nate.
Guy-I-left-naked-in-bed-without-saying-goodbye Nate.
He’s just as gorgeous as I remember. I want to run toward him and I want to run in the opposite direction. Instead of doing either, I’m frozen in my spot. Either he doesn’t get a good look at my face right away, or he doesn’t recognize me. I’m not sure which option I would prefer. I’m hiding on the passenger side of the truck, trying to buy some time.
“All right then, smartass,” Amy says. “You want to be nagged? Clean your room. Do your homework. Wash your face. Wash your hands.”
“Mow the lawn,” he shouts with a laugh, the most gorgeous smile on his face.
“Rake the leaves!”
“Is that it?”
“I’ve got more,” Amy replies. “Remember your manners. Give your future sister-in-law a hug, and say hello to Callie.”
Nate pauses a second when he hears my name, but he makes his way down the stairs anyway, and I’m still trying to figure out what to do. I’m going to have to step out and say hello to him eventually. As if Amy can sense my discomfort, she walks over and grabs my hand, pulling me around the front of the truck towards certain embarrassment.
“Don’t be shy,” she says. My eyes meet Nate’s as he’s hugging Gabby.
He lets her go, and I know he’s a little dumbfounded that I’m here. The corners of his eyes crinkle as he squints, like he’s trying to make sure I’m really standing in front of him. But then he smiles, like he’s relieved. And the beauty in it is unnerving.
“Nate,” Gabby says, then looks in my direction. “This is my best friend Callie. Callie, this is Nate.”
I’m silently begging him not to let on that we’ve already met. I don’t want to explain that to Gabby right now, and I really don’t want to explain that to his mother.
“Callie,” he says warmly, familiarly, as he reaches out and takes my hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
NATE AND I are just standing here, hands clasped together, smiling at each other like idiots. The second my hand slipped into his, all my nervousness fell away. And now all I can think about is the fact that he’s touching me, and that makes me remember the way he touched me two nights ago, which makes me want him to touch me again. Everywhere. It’s not until Gabby coughs that my eyes even lift to his, and I can feel my cheeks flush. I had completely forgotten that there are other people standing here with us.
And then I see Nate’s mother, who is smiling too, and I remember that it’s her son that I’m standing here lusting after, and my cheeks feel hotter. Nate grins at me like he knows what I’m thinking.
I let go of his hand like it’s on fire. But it’s too late, because Gabby’s already seen that there’s something between Nate and me, and even though she doesn’t know exactly what that thing is, I can tell that she’s plotting already and I’m going to have to find a way to put a stop to that.
“You two seem to have hit it off,” Amy says in a singsongy voice with a knowing smile.
I want the ground to open up and swallow me whole. Immediately, if not sooner.
Thankfully Gabby recognizes the horrified look on my face and she steps in to steer the conversation away from me.
“When did you get in?” she asks Nate. “I thought you weren’t coming until tomorrow.”
Nate looks over at me before he answers. “Dad sent me a text to tell me that he and Ben are camping tonight. I wanted to go, so I took a train from DC.”
“Is that where you live?” The question comes out before I can stop my stupid mouth from moving.
Nate grins. “No, I live in Colorado. I just made a detour before I came here. I went to visit a friend.”
“Where’s Ben?” Gabby asks.
“He’s fishing with his father, trying to catch something for dinner tonight. We’ll probably wind up having hot dogs,” Amy says, grinning as she makes her way back to the house. She opens the screen door and turns around. “Nate, will you come help me bring the card tables down from the attic?”
Nate nods, then looks at Gabby. “It’s good to see you,” he says before turning to me. He takes my hand again, and I can’t even think straight, not while he’s touching me. “Callie, it was very nice to meet you.” He winks at me before he turns and walks up the steps, stopping once at the door to smile at me again.
Gabby looks at me with wide eyes as she grabs my arm and leads me to a bench a few feet away where we can talk without worrying about anyone overhearing us.
“What. Was. That?” she asks. “I was hoping you two would hit it off, but I never thought…”
I’m not really sure what to do now. I know I should tell her, because she’s my best friend and I’ve never kept anything from her. I don’t think I could keep this from her, even if I tried. It’s bound to come out at some point, and at least if I let her know now I can be the one who’s in control of it. But once I tell her about my history with Nate, I know she’ll start waxing philosophic about fate or something equally ridiculous. Gabby’s such a hopeless romantic, bless her.